Dermot O'Leary has teased the new series of X Factor, claiming that one of the auditions is one of the most emotional the show has ever seen.

He has also said that it is "odd" to lose the previous judging panel for the new line-up, because they have become his friends.

The presenter, who is returning for his 11th stint hosting the show, said that one of the male hopefuls reduced the whole judging panel to tears, but that it was just as moving watching it from the sidelines.

The new series sees newcomers Robbie and Ayda Williams and Louis Tomlinson join X Factor boss Simon Cowell on the judging panel.

When does X Factor 2018 start?

ITV bosses officially launch the new season on Saturday, 1 September , so be sure to mark it in your diary.

Naturally, you can expect the usual mix of no-hopers, sob stories and determined divas.

In a sneak peek at the first audition show, the X Factor's official Twitter account told excited fans: "The XFactor is back! Cancel your plans, set your alarms and join us on September 1st, 8pm ITV . We've got your weekend sorted."

Who are the 2018 judges?

This year there's a brand new judging panel, featuring Robbie Williams, his wife Ayda Field, One Direction star Louis Tomlinson - who can thank the show for his own global success - and, of course, Simon Cowell .

Comparing the new line-up to last year's, Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger, O'Leary said: "It's always odd when you lose people because you get to know them very well.

"I'm not going to lie, you miss the people you were working with before because you worked with them for so long and they're your friends.

"At the same time people always say to me, 'What's your favourite judging panel?'.

"It's so difficult for me to answer the question because they are like wine.

"I've got several favourite wines, and similarly the judging panel is all about the blend!"

How long will the series run for?

As per usual, the show will run until December, when the winner's single will be released in a bid for the coveted Christmas No.1 spot.

During that time there'll be the initial auditions, bootcamp, judges' houses and then the live shows.

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What's new about the 2018 series?

Much of the format has remained the same heading into the 15th series of the show, but the judges have taken a leaf from the Britain's Got Talent book and added a new feature into the Six Chair Challenge - the Golden X.

The new round will see each judging getting the chance to send one of the final six straight through to Judges' Houses - without the drama of risking their seat getting swapped.

One act each will have a secure seat through the Golden X, meaning they will go straight to LA or Barcelona for the next round and no other act will be able to oust them from the competition - no matter how good they are.